Operant conditioning is the idea that a stimulus can create a response if a person is properly conditioned. For example, if you shake a can of beans when your dog or cat does something you don't like, it will cause your dog to stop if you have trained it with stimulus response.

To further clarify the last example. Jim turned off his computer and there was that little "computer turning off noise" (UCS); then, he offered Dwight an Altoid, which Dwight accepted (UCR). Jim repeated this over and over throughout the day, until it got to the point that Jim turned off his computer (CS) and Dwight automatically reached for the Altoid without Jim even having to ask; he then mentioned that his mouth felt dry and gross. So the conditioned response was Dwight's mouth feeling the need for a mint whenever he hears the computer turning off. It's a funny example that I use in my psychology classes to teach classical conditioning.

Do you watch "The Office"? There was an episode in which Jim, as one of his many pranks on Dwight, elicited a conditioned response. I can't remember exactly what the stimulas was, but it may have been Jim's phone ringing. Every time it did, he handed Dwight a Skittles. After a while, the phone would ring and Dwight would automatically stick out his hand for a Skittles.

If you wanted to use the principle of conditioned response in order to make your friend jump at an abnormal signal, here's an idea. The natural, UCS could be poking them in the side. Doing this would produce a natural, UCR such as jumping/being startled. Now, if you wanted to work with conditioning, you could do something like this... make an odd sound like a cat meow or other weird noise. Then, within a second or two, poke them. The odd sound would be the CS, and eventually, they would jump at hearing the noise, as they expect to be poked (your CR). This is just a scenario, and might work. There are loads of different ways to do this, but just make sure you keep it legal! haha!

In a psychology internship, you have encountered a child with destructive tendencies. She bites herself, her dog, and your bag of supplies. Being afraid for her safety and your own well-being, you institute a plan to change her behavior. Suggest a punishment, with her possible reactions. Then, try substituting an alternative behavior by reinforcing an incompatible response. Label the antecedent stimulus for the biting response, Punishment I or II, escape or avoidance, and the reinforcement for the new named response. What do you consider to be the best theory or method for improving this child's behavior?

Model more effective behavior for someone whom you positively influence. Name specific details of you(the model), the observer, the behavior and the reinforcer, using at least five principles of Social Learning Theory.